Storm-front for vehicles.



PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907. F. O. BROOK & E. M. 'DU BOIS.

STORM FRONT FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1907.

Inventor:

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FREDERICK G. BROOK AND EDWARD M. DU BOIS, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNORSTO THE VEHICLE APRON & HOOD COMPANY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, A CORPORATION OFOHIO.

STORM-FRONT FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5, 1907.

Application filed March 8, 1907. Serial No. 361,357.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK O. BROC'K and En- WARD M. DU 1301s,citizens of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county ofFranklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Storm-Fronts for Vehicles, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to storm fronts for vehicles and has for itsobject the provision of a device of this character which is adapted tobe readily secured to vehicles already in use and which is constructedin such manner as to be adjustable to vehicles of varying sizes.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in thedetailed description which now follows.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehiclehaving our improved storm front secured thereto, Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview looking from the inside of the front, Fig. 3 is a detail front ele'vation of one corner of the storm front, Fig. 4 is a detail frontelevation of one of the lower corners of the storm front, Fig. 5 is adetail sectional view illustrating a latch which is used to secure aswinging window in an elevated position, and, Fig. 6 is a detail sectionupon v line 66 of Fig. 2.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of thedrawing.

The main frame of the storm front is preferably formed of wood andconsists of vertical side members 5 which are wider at their upper endsthan at their lower 11 ds, and horizontal connecting bars 6. A windowframe 7 is hinged as at 8 to swing inwardly, this frame being filledwith transparent material such as celluloid or glass 9. Secured to theupper horizontal member 6 is the central portion 10 of an inwardlyextending hood. The end members 11 and 12 of this hood are supportedfrom the central member 10 and are slidably disposed with relationthereto, the upper and lower edges of the central member 10 being bentover the edges of the outer members 11 and 12 as at 13 (see Fig. 6). Alatch of any desired construction which is indicated at 14 is adapted tohold the window closed. I

A vertical notched bar 15 is secured at 16 to one of the verticalmembers 5. An L-shaped arm 17 is secured to the window frame and a link18 is pivoted to the outer end of this arm. This link is provided at itslower end with an eyelet 19 which surrounds the rod 15 and slidesthereon. When the window is elevated, the edge of this eyelet catches inthe notches 20 of the rod 15 to maintain this window in its elevatedposition. The outer face of the lower portion of the main frame from thehorizontal member 6 to the bottom of the frame, is covered withwater-proof material 21,

this material also covering the outer faces of the members 5.

Stiffening strips 22 are secured to the members 11 and 12 of the hoodand strips of water-proof flexible material 23 depend from the ends 24of the members 11 and 12 of the hood. Stop members 25 are carried by thehood and are adapted to engage over the front bow to limit the inwardmovement of this hood. Straps 26 are secured to these end members 24,said straps being provided with buckles 27 and serving to draw the hoodinwardly when engaged about the prop nuts 28 of a bugg top 29. L-shapedextension strips 30 are vertically arranged at each edge of the stormfront, these extension strips having slots 31 formed therein at theirlower edges (see Figs. 2 and 4), for the reception of bolts 32 which arecarried by the lower ends of the side members 5 of the main frame. Nuts33 are threaded upon the inner ends of these bolts and when tightenedbind the L- shaped extension strips against movement with relation tothe main frame.

The upper edges of the side members 5 of the frame are cut out as at 34.Metallic strips 35 are secured in position in such manner as to leave aspace between themselves and the members 5, in which bolts 36 areadapted to slide. Nuts 37 are threaded upon the inner ends of thesebolts, said bolts being carried by the extension strips 30. When thesenuts are tightened, the outer edges of the extension strips are boundagainst movement with relation to the main frame, these extension stripsserving to adjust the storm front to vehicles of varying sizes.

Keepers 39 are secured to the inner face of one of the horizontalmembers 6 and bars 40 are slidably disposed in these keepers. The outerends of these bars are bent to the position illustrated in Fig. 2 andare provided with a series of perforations 41, which are adapted to beengaged by the hooked ends 42 of rods43. A turn-buckle 44 is adapted todraw these bars 40 toward each other to cause their bent portions 47 toengage a buggy dash which is illustrated in dotted lines at 48 in Fig.2. The horizontal member 6 at the lower edge of the window is cut out at50 for the passage of the reins and a whip socket 51 is carried by oneof the extension strips 30. Brackets 52 which are carried by theextension strips 30 are adapted to receive spring rollers like theordinary spring actuated shade roller. Side curtains 53 are carried bythese rollers and are provided with hooks 54 which are adapted to engageabout the vertical portion 55 of a buggy top as is best illustrated inFig. 1.

The operation of the device is as follows: When it is desired to securethis storm front in position upon a vehicle, the structure shown in Fig.2 is placed in such position that the dash of a buggy extends up betweenthe bars 40 so that when the turn buckle 44 is turned to extensionstrips 30 provide means for widening the structure to accommodatebuggies of varying sizes.

After the main structure-has been placed in position and secured asabove described, the side curtains may be drawn from the spring rollersand the hooks 54 engaged about the vertical members 55 of the buggy topto thereby entirely inclose the forward portion of the buggy. Thetelescopic arrangement of the members 11 and 12 with relation to themember 10, also provides means for accommodating buggies of varyingsizes.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the structureherein shown and described provides efiicient means for sheltering theoccupant of a vehicle from wind, rain, snow. or the like and one whichmay be readily applied, cheaply constructed and which is adapted to besecured upon vehicles of varying sizes.

While the elements shown and described are well adapted to serve thepurposes for which theyare intended, it is to be understood that ourinvention is not limited to the precise construction set forth, butincludes within its purview such changes as may be made within the scopeof the appended claims.

What we claim, is:

1. In a storm front for vehicles, the combination with a frame, of meansfor clamping said frame to the dashboard of a vehicle, a hood carried bysaid frame, stop members carried by said hood adapted to engage thefront bow of a vehicle, means for drawing said hood toward said bow,vertical extension strips located at each edge of said frame and movablewith relation thereto, spring rollers supported at each edge of saidframe and upon said movable strips, curtains carried by said rollers,and members secured to said curtains which are adapted to engage about aportion of the vehicle top.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a frame,of a hood secured to the upper edge of said frame, said hood being madein sections which telescope with relation to each other, stop memberscarried by said hood which are adapted to rest against the front bow ofa vehicle, means for drawing said hood toward said bow, means forclamping said frame to the dash-board of a vehicle, vertical extensionstrips located at the edges of the main frame and movable with relationthereto, means for clamping said strips against movement with relationto said frame, spring rollers carried by said extension strips, curtainscarried by said rollers, and members carried by said curtains which areadapted to engage a portion of the vehicle top.

3. In a storm front for vehicles, the combination with a frame, of meansfor clamping said frame to the dashboard of a vehicle, verticalextension strips located at each side of said frame and movable withrelation to said frame, means for clamping said strips in their adjustedpositions, and vertically disposed spring actuated curtain rollersmounted upon and movable with said extension strips.

4. In a device of the characteudescribed, the combination with a frame,of means for securing said frame to a vehicle, a hood carried by theupper portion of the frame, vertical extension strips having bolt andslot connections with said frame and adapted to be moved bodily withrelation to said frame, spring actuated rollers carried by saidextension strips, curtains carried by said rollers, and means forsecuring said curtains to a portion of the vehicle.

5. In a device of the character described, the combina-' tion with asupporting frame, of means for securing said frame to a vehicle, a hoodcarried by the upper portion of the frame, vertical extension stripsmounted at the sides of the frame and movable with relation to saidframe, spring actuated rollers carried by said extension strips,curtains mounted upon said rollers, and means for holding said curtainsin position when they are withdrawn from said rollers.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

FREDERICK C. BROOK.

. EDWARD'M. DU BOIS.

Witnesses A. L. PnnLPs, L. CARL S'roUerrroN.

